Times discovers there is scope for both plans in Willesden Junction

A giant incinerator in Willesden Junction could still be built while the site is also used for the government’s controversial high speed railway plans.

Yesterday, the Times revealed that rail bosses in charge of the High Speed 2 (Hs2) scheme had earmarked the area in the Harlesden industrial site to help transport waste and rubbish from the construction of tunnels in the nearby area.

The plans could put a spanner in the works for the proposed incinerator, which is due to be considered by Ealing Council’s planning committee next week.

If the area is ‘safeguarded’ by Hs2 it would mean any other developments would have to be considered by them before being given the go ahead.

However, the Times can now reveal that the area could be home to both controversial schemes after Ealing Council said that ‘to their knowledge’ the incinerator lay outside Hs2’s safeguarding boundaries.

The application, originally thought to be from a company called Clean Power Properties, is in fact a joint bid between Network Rail and Clean Power.

If approved, the incinerator, which is described as an ‘energy recovery centre’ would have four 25m high chimneys spouting out burnt waste and four tanks for decomposing food.

Despite it being on Ealing’s land the plan has attracted concern from residents in Harlesden and Willesden who fear an increase in traffic and poor air quality.

Peter Fry, HS2 Ltd community and stakeholder manager for London said: “We have identified potential sites in Ealing to be used for the construction of the UK’s high speed rail network.

“The site at the end of Channel Gate Road is an important part of our current plans which we want to use to remove excavated material from the tunnels.”

A spokesman for Ealing Council added: “All waste processing developments must abide by environmental licensing conditions, which control the impact of factors such as noise and environmental pollution on the local area.”